I hope very much that readers liked my first 2 poetry slots. I have chosen a consistent theme to conclude my showcase: super-human bravery, endeavour in potentially life-threatening conditions, work from May 2014 which was inspired by a modern day ‘Viking’ ie an ex-pupil of mine (Matthew Mason) who, as part of an 8 man team, rowed the Atlantic from West Africa to Barbados. Each shift over 24 hours involved 2 men rowing for 2 hours (for a gruelling 30 days in 40+ heat) They rowed for personal challenge and charitable causes, missing the world record for such a team by a mere 7 hours. Messages and 4 poems were written as encouragement and sent by magic!

.‘Invocation’ was inspired by the name of the boat ‘Titan’ so I imagined how sailors of old would appeal to ancient gods, such as Oceanus, to assist their passage. The second poem: ‘Forward to the Americas!’ is self-explanatory and references ‘as did sailors of old’ hence the link with the Norsemen!

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Invocation

.“Oceanus! O son of the sky, We call to you …. Oceanus, Blessed ruler of waters and seas. With Earth as our mother We heed you, We men Are a different breed. But accepting our challenge As Titans, We set out On primordial seas.

Oceanus! Arise with a new dawn, Re- light the bold fire In our eyes And blow with your breath To inspire us … And grant us a following wind!”

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Forward To The Americas

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As bare-skinned boysWith a fire in your eyesYou set out With the heat of AfricaAcross your shoulders :“Forward to the Americas!”To ‘Ichirouganaim’(Called by the Ancient Ones)-Red land with white teeth-Your ‘Barbados’, tiny bearded gemSet amongst coral reefs.

Far, far , and fathoms deepAcross an Ocean ridge,Rowing with the heaveOf your heartbeats.What do you see and hearIn the Silence?Earth, Sky, Sea,Stars, Moon, Sun.And the sea,Always, the Atlantic Sea.

You have marked your placeIn this vast Universe.“Now go on!Forward, t’ward the Americas!”

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Carol is a retired 3/4 Irish teacher of English, from Accrington, Lancashire, aged 62. Her love of drawing and painting … was overtaken by writing in the hectic course of her career. For 34 years she had the fun filled privilege of creating and selecting pieces to stimulate and facilitate children’s writing. Particularly fond memories remain of collaborative workshops ending in much appreciated performances….so, although she is not actively involved in social media …she was inspired to collaborate off the scene, becoming a ‘pupil’ by responding to the info posted by ArtiPeeps ( last year on Transformations) and for this year’s much bigger extravaganza on the Vikings. She found that following the crescendo of progress by tuning in, tends to promote infectious enthusiasm and the question: What would I make of that? (Who knows …but it is likely that there are others out there who had the same reaction!) In this situation, she says, “I find myself still thinking like a teacher considering a narrative style, offering a way in for the uninitiated by choosing a suitable voice which will address the reader directly whilst paying homage to the factual and emotional aspects of the subject.

We ran two workshops in The Gallery at Hanse House on the 4th day of The Nine Realms: a Norse-themed poetry workshop in the morning, and an art workshop experimenting with the printing technique of monotypes in the afternoon. Both workshops were facilitated by creatives involved in The Nine Realms project: poet, Rebecca Audra Smith and artist, Robert Fitzmaurice.

What you’ll find below is the first of 2 specials on the workshops. This week we’re focusing on the poetry, with an overview by Becca of her poetry workshop and what was created in it.

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Hello!

On Monday 14th September we ran a poetry workshop as part of The Nine Realms- a 5 day festival of events for the ArtiPeeps combined arts experience themed on the Icelandic Norse myths.

Many thanks to Elaine, Jan, Karen, Louise, Shelia, Denise, Sandra, Caitlin and Karin for being such great participants!

We started by creating phonetic translations of Old Norse, translating by sound and look of the word rather than meaning!

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Then we free wrote from two lines of the translated Poetic Edda; there were some great pieces flowing out of this. Below are two group poems collected of lines from everyone’s free writing:

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If I journeyed with thee to the giant’s home

But honey and honour I’m expecting to findOur world is changing before our very eyes:Beasts and mankind softening and blending together.I would feel the pressure of the surroundings bury into my soul.Would our way be smooth as honey or would we find trauma?I will protect you from the perils ahead.We moved tip toe terrified testing the tunnelHow will I show thee a single vision?The stern of the ship turnedThe giant’s home where legends are born and honour won.

.We pulled suggestions for prompts from people’s Nordic translations, some of these prompt words for the second piece were: eye-opener, single, eight, haven, stern.

Do you still seek to know? And what?

Like stern Odin who seeks for an eye-opener but with a single eyeLet us drink the mead of poetryFrom it’s primeval, battered beginnings new life sparked and bubbled into beingWill our haven be ahead?Have we left it behind?A single word can set off a journey into the unknownI have my eight-pointed scimitar An eye-opener for you, my friendCan we find the eighth haven to read the home of the honey seekers?Stern words will no doubt hiss and spitFrom this forked tongueI was supposed to be there at the crack of dawn.

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We also created our own kennings, match the kenning with the object it describes below:

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The last exercise was to respond to a selection of the different realms from the five. First we created our own map of the realms, then we wrote a piece examining the piece of realm we had deciphered. It was a great experience to be facilitating the workshop and I really enjoyed everyone’s amazing words! The space of Hanse House was really beautiful and conducive to writing, the art from the afternoon session also looked amazing. I hope to see some of the free writes again on the blog.

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A map of the realms and some kennings

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Roaming the Realms with Giants and Words

I would taste of honey and mead only a womanwearing a cloak can come and be beloved of the giants tall and huge and thumb-like

Your hammer is too big to carrywhat a honey trap filled with oiltasting of lizards and smoking of heat If I journeyed with thee I might end nowhere

Hiding in a single leafa haven of the heavenly giantsYou’ve produced an eye-opener of a tale long as the serpent that circles the world

A storm of the end with a single eye- seconds laterI look- you spy- you caught my answerA fish in the water a river-dancerHand me your words we’ve come so far

Rebecca Audra Smith

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Extras

In case you ever wondered what a Norse-inspired Poetry workshop sounds like it sounds something like this:

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And here is Becca reading the collaborative poem created at the workshop:

As Becca has said, many thanks to all those who participated in the poetry workshop, and to Hanse House for the great gallery space which was the perfect environment for our workshops. Watch out for the art workshop post coming up shortly.

From thence sailed the brave,– Leaving warm home fires –Not knowing where they’d go!Hauling wooden longshipsAway from fire-stone, ice and snow;Across serpent-ridden seas,Steel-eyed, warrior minds,Searching horizons, learning tides,Battling storms, risking lives!Crossing UtangardNever knowing what they’d find!Not knowing where they were going,But knowing from whence they came:Created from giant YmirWhom Odin ripped apart!In sacrifice and renewalHe became their ancient sire.In homelands formed of volcanic stoneSuch folk were born with hearts of fire!Their land was of his flesh,Sacrificed to make their home.Blood of blood and bone of bone.O how his eyes made the sun glow!O how his mind made the moon!Powerful blood became water,Breath of life the airy wind!In this elemental worldSuch Norsemen were born:Born to be farming the land,Born to be tested by waves,Born with fire in their hearts,They who were valiant and brave!

And Ymir, the life-bringer,Sacrificial source of Earth,The Heavens, the pounding waves of the sea!And at the World’s centre, Firm and strong,The mighty Ash: The Yggdrasil tree!From this elemental worldOf the NorthlandsThese Vikings came!

Carol is a retired 3/4 Irish teacher of English, from Accrington, Lancashire, aged 62. Her love of drawing and painting … was overtaken by writing in the hectic course of her career. For 34 years she had the fun filled privilege of creating and selecting pieces to stimulate and facilitate children’s writing. Particularly fond memories remain of collaborative workshops ending in much appreciated performances….so, although she is not actively involved in social media …she was inspired to collaborate off the scene, becoming a ‘pupil’ by responding to the info posted by ArtiPeeps ( last year on Transformations) and for this year’s much bigger extravaganza on the Vikings. She found that following the crescendo of progress by tuning in, tends to promote infectious enthusiasm and the question: What would I make of that? (Who knows …but it is likely that there are others out there who had the same reaction!) In this situation, she says, “I find myself still thinking like a teacher considering a narrative style, offering a way in for the uninitiated by choosing a suitable voice which will address the reader directly whilst paying homage to the factual and emotional aspects of the subject.

The poem above evolved from taking that approach and looking at some of the lovely Viking imagery and visualisations of the Yggdrassil tree on line. I had fun writing them and offer them retrospectively!

Carol is a retired 3/4 Irish teacher of English, from Accrington, Lancashire, aged 62. Her love of drawing and painting … was overtaken by writing in the hectic course of her career. For 34 years she had the fun filled privilege of creating and selecting pieces to stimulate and facilitate children’s writing. Particularly fond memories remain of collaborative workshops ending in much appreciated performances….so, although she is not actively involved in social media …she was inspired to collaborate off the scene, becoming a ‘pupil’ by responding to the info posted by ArtiPeeps ( last year on Transformations) and for this year’s much bigger extravaganza on the Vikings. She found that following the crescendo of progress by tuning in, tends to promote infectious enthusiasm and the question: What would I make of that? (Who knows …but it is likely that there are others out there who had the same reaction!) In this situation, she says, “I find myself still thinking like a teacher considering a narrative style, offering a way in for the uninitiated by choosing a suitable voice which will address the reader directly whilst paying homage to the factual and emotional aspects of the subject.

The poem above evolved from taking that approach and looking at some of the lovely Viking imagery and visualisations of the Yggdrassil tree on line. I had fun writing them and offer them retrospectively!

A second of Carol’s Norse-themed poems will be posted on Wednesday 30th September. We’re so pleased Carol has found The Nine Realms a springboard for her creativity.

The Nine Realms

Alfheim

(the realm of the Elves)

Featuring:

Karin Heyer and Mina Polen

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Hope

by Karin Heyer

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Long ago the same moon and the same sun lay before us, just like now and and the three-strand rainbow bridge that spanned then from Asgard to Midgard was meant for men to fight and walk across into a future life!

What life? A life where the elves of light should shine over the dark, where men become real, visible men with sharp wits and a feeling heart, responsible for their actions: accept the cross, live for love and peace to all men.

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Shining

by Mina Polen

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Shiningit might be just a dreama little voice small and faira blinding sun inside of you

movingit might be just a parasite………………………an ideaa voice that it isn’t there

becomingsomething at every stepsomething that you might denysomething that you might follow

growingit might be just a cloud………………………………expandingsomething like a blinding mist

shiningit might be just a maggota little bit of light ……….movingsomething that you might ignore.

The Nine Realms

Alfheim

(the realm of the Elves)

Featuring:

Nat Hall, Lenka Monk and Jim C Mackintosh

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Guardian Angel from the Ninth Realm

by Nat Hall

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You,
luminous loving being,
so much more than a thousand suns in
darkest corner of my head,
you are sensitive to
my tears,
so far away from fern, foliage,
evergreen feel of
thick forest,
Light Bokeh style –
the untouched side of Freyr’s world…
To
avoid eyes,
hiss and whisper from
haunting mare,
my mantelpiece littered with stones
I once collected from a now
dormant volcano where
hardened rock dances with salt,
leaping fury from young ocean,
I light candles night after night,
chisel your smile out of cold wax, and
seek wisdom out of
a match.
You,
luminous loving being,
you rescued me from the cliff edge.

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And lead me to temptation

by Lenka Monk

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Inspired by story of Freyr and Gerðr

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Through the eyeglass, inner mistTempted fate, now I can’t resistLips that haunt, curves that tauntA tortured sigh.

The heart, the insurgent of reasonthat beautiful face, led it to treasonseasoned sixth sense, forget consequenceA complete surrender.

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under the heavens dome

by Jim C. Mackintosh

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under the heavens domethe halls tower in this placewhere maddened spirits bindthe claws of ravens hauntingblind trees and bright roomsenclosing his hypnotic powerunseen to those for whom life past

beneath the high throne of Freyrcircled by meadow throngsfloating on pillows of goldthe words of the wish-giverin bundles tied with sinewsof outlaws crucified on the wayspeared in the crossfire of elf shot

felled in the grapple of light wheredark elves stripped them of beliefa thin path winds through briar rosewhere a thousand eyes, black spotsin the gloom sense the feardripping from the pilgrims follyseeking to kiss the feet of Freyr

yet destined to leave empty handedhappy to escape the elven graspto answer their quest elsewhereand rid themselves of this brothelbuilt in the tangle of angels hairnourished by the rot of soulsquietly disappeared, lost forever

under the canopy where Freyr sleepsand confused sayers fall at his gazefighting over the scraps he scattersin return for the lure of his mystery/ so why are you still here?so why do you believe this sermonwill lead you to anything but your betrayal?

through the valleys of temptationthey will swoop down and lift your eyesto where the single, deadly snake coilshissing promises of everlasting glorya ticket to cross the rainbow, only to dieunder the wheels of martyrdomto be denied by your band of brothers

where the Gods assemble to dividethe spoils of your blood and tearsgathered by the scrum of vultures/ let your death join mein the salvation of our tomorrows, freefrom the shores of false dawnswhere your heart will awaken

in sanctuary from blunted threatswhere the earth and the sea andthe stone and the roots and the rainare true and the stag will roar againand the kiss of blood, the unityof your ken folk will easeyour righteous birth once more

The Nine Realms

Alfheim

(the realm of the Elves)

Featuring:

Tom Murphy and Eleanor Perry

Alfheim

by Tom Murphy

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inside the fenceI know you as I walk towards meseeing everything through your eyeI see it on my faceas you step into the firelightwe smile the same smileas you look at meand see the toll you’ve still to payyou see the sons we will sirethe daughter we lostthe eye you have yet to lose

in my pocketI have the apple I will offer youbefore you offer yourselfthe ninth knot

To get involved contact us via any of the comments boxes on our posts/pages or @ArtiPeeps. You would be very welcome!

Vikings Ahoy! It’s The Nine Realms!

ONGOING EPICS

THE NINE REALMS (2014-2015):
Watch this space for our next 9-month large-scale collaborative project ! Starting in the 2nd Week of October 2014. Inspired by the Norse Sagas and Norse Cosmology, Giving creative opportunities to nearly 50 creatives. We'll be combining poetry, prose, art, music and sculpting a Viking boat out of ash, Vikings Ahoy!!!

The Nine Realms Poetry Playlist

The Nine Realms Realm Music

PAST EPIC COLLABORATIONS

TRANSFORMATIONS (2013-2014)

A POETRY AND ART EPIC:

31 Creatives from all around the world and the UK showcased through 1 Contemporary Reworking of Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Making the virtual real via a poetry-art exhibition held at Hanse House, Norfolk, 12-14th September 2014,

The launch of our large-scale exhibition template to be used to give creatives from all disciplines collaborative opportunities year on year.

Wisdom & Mindfulness

ArtiPeeps Videos On Vimeo

Osho: From The Book of Understanding

EXPRESS YOURSELF IN AS MANY WAYS AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT FEAR.THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR.THERE IS NOBODY WHO IS GOING TO PUNISH OR REWARD YOU. EXPRESS YOUR BEING IN ITS TRUEST FORM, IN ITS NATURAL FLOW, YOU WILL BE REWARDED IMMEDIATELY, NOT TOMORROW BUT TODAY, HERE & NOW. YOU ARE PUNISHED ONLY WHEN YOU GO AGAINST YOUR NATURE. BUT THE PUNISHMENT IS A HELP. IT IS SIMPLY AN INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM NATURE, THAT YOU HAVE GONE A LITTLE ASTRAY-OFF THE ROAD-COME BACK. PUNISHMENT IS NO REVENGE.NO, PUNISHMENT IS ONLY AN EFFORT TO WAKE YOU UP: 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' . SOMETHING IS WRONG, SOMETHING IS GOING AGAINST YOURSELF. THAT'S WHY THERE IS PAIN, THERE IS ANXIETY.

EVOLUTION IS INTRINSIC TO MAN'S NATURE, EVOLUTION IS HIS VERY SOUL, AND THOSE WHO TAKE THEMSELVES FOR GRANTED REMAIN UNFULFILLED. THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE BORN COMPLETE REMAIN UNEVOLVED. THEN THE SEED REMAINS THE SEED. IT NEVER BECOMES A TREE AND NEVER KNOWS THE JOYS OF SPRING AND THE SUNSHINE AND THE RAIN AND THE ECSTASY OF BURSTING INTO MILLIONS OF FLOWERS.